Sprinkling device



Aug. 25, 1964 L. B. WHATLEY SPRINKLING DEVICE Filed 0G17. 2, 1961 IN VENTOR.

LOUIS B. WHATLEY l., Illllm Illllllllll A T ORNE YS United States L fate3,145,880 SPRINKLING DEVCE Louis B. Whatley, Rte. 5, Asheboro, N.C. unesom. 2, i961, ser. No. 142,105 18 Claims. (Cl. Z22-196.40

This invention relates to devices for sprinkling pourable liquids orpowders. More particularly, it relates to an improved sprinkling devicefor use with a container of pourable material wherein individual chargesof the material are metered into a separate chamber which is free fromthe pressure of the material in the container and from there aredistributed uniformly over and easily discharged through a multiplicityof perforations.

There are many pourable materials in liquid and powdered form which whenput to use may be manually sprinkled over the articles to which they areapplied. Hence, various types of sprinkling devices iind wide use inagriculture, industry, in the home, and in many other areas of activity.Manual sprinkling devices of the type contemplated by this invention areemployed, for eXample, in dusting powdered insecticides and bactericidesover vegetation, in distributing finely comminuted fertilizers over theground, in dusting molds with releasing agents, in powdering confectionswith sugar or other trimmings, in dampening clothes prior to ironing,and in applying cleansing agents in washing.

The typical sprinkling device used in most of these applications insimply a container of some sort having a perforated closure memberthrough which the material may be distributed. These have thedisadvantage, however, that when nely comminuted powders are to besprinkled, and particularly when a relatively large supply of the powderis to be held in the container (say one pint or more), the perforationsin the closure member often become clogged under the weight of thepowder in the container. Ordinarily the operator can prevent suchclogging, if at all, only by shaking the container quite violently. Ofcourse, the perforations in the closure member can always be enlarged sothat such clogging does not occur, but that definitely diminishes theuniformity with which the powder can be applied.

It also has been proposed, as in German Patent No. 206,845, to provide adusting device in which the material in the container is dischargedthrough a partitioning plate into a separate chamber from which it isdusted through a perforated cap. However, such proposals, with which Iam familiar, have not been entirely satisfactory, due in part, to afailure to provide a proper sprinkled from the charge. The apertures inthe partitioning plate and those in the cap and to properly locate theapertures in the partitioning plate relative to those in the cap.

One of the primary purposes of the present invention, therefore, is toprovide a dusting or sprinkling device of simple construction which isnot subject to the above objections and which also embodies means forpreventing clogging which do not entail the enlarging of theperforations. rl`hese objects have been achieved by working manyimprovements upon dusting or sprinkling devices of the type which areadapted to form a section of the wall of the container with which theyareused and in which a pourable material is contained.

rl`he contemplated device includes an inner partitioning plate adaptedto extend completely across a section of the container wall and an outerforaminous member adapted to completely cover the partitioning plate.The partitioning plate and foraminous member dene between them asubstantially enclosed chamber. rhe partitioning plate has apertureswhich are adapted to permit a charge of pourable material to be meteredfrom the container into the enclosed chamber and a multiplicity ofperforations are formed in the foraminous member to permit the charge ofpourable material to be dusted or sprinkled from the charge. Theapertures in the partitioning plate are individually of larger area thanthe perforations in the outer foraminous member. Located in the chamberare a plurality of freely displaceable balls which are adapted to beagitated over the inside surface of the foraminous member in the chargeof pourable material to distribute the material substantially uniformlyover the inner surface of the foraminous member and to cause it to passthrough all of the perforations.

When a pourable material in powdered form is being dispensed by means ofthis device, a measured charge of the material can be metered into thechamber simply by turning the container with the dusting or sprinklingdevice directed downwardly. This charge of material can then bedistributed over and sprinkled through the perforations by very slightlyoscillating the container back and forth so that the displaceable ballsin the chamber roll over the inside surface of the foraminous member. Bythis method, the balls evenly spread the charge of material to all ofthe perforations in the foraminous member and the discharge therethroughis particularly uniform.

Since only a controlled amount of the powder is metered into the chamberat a time, the weight of the remainder of the material in the containercannot act upon the material in the chamber to cause clogging of theperforations. At the same time, the apertures in the partitioning plateare suiliciently large to prevent the weight rof the material in thecontainer from clogging in and around the apertures. lt will also benoted that the contemplated dusting or sprinkling device permits thepourable material to be evenly dusted or sprinkled without shaking thecontainer up and down since only a slight agitation of the balls overthe inside of the foraminous member is needed to discharge the materialfrom the chamber. The charging of the chamber is, of course, continuouswhen a liquid is being sprinkled.

Preferred embodiments of the contemplated dusting or sprinkling deviceare described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. l is an elevation partly broken away of one embodiment of acontemplated dusting or sprinkling device threaded onto the neck portionof a container of pourable material;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken `along the line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary Vertical section, on an enlarged scale, takenalong the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through the neck portionof a container similar to that shown in FIG. l with a second embodimentof the contemplated dusting or sprinkling device threaded thereto.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a further embodiment of theinvention.

Referring rst to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, a container 1uis shown which is substantially enclosed except for an opening 1ldefined by a neck portion 12 at one end thereof. The container 10 mayadvantageously be a glass bottle of the Mason jar type having integralexternal threads i3 formed about its neck portion l2. The container l0is adapted. to hold a pourable material 14 (such as any of thosepreviously-mentioned liquids or fine powders) which is to be manuallysprinkled, dusted, or otherwise scattered from the container by means ofthe contemplated dusting or sprinkling device.

The dusting or sprinkling device itself, indicated generally by thenumeral 16, is fitted onto the open end of the container 10. It includesan annular internally threaded rim 17 which is adapted to be threadedonto the external threads 13 formed about the neck portion 12 of thecontainer. The rim 17 extends longitudinally from the periphery of anintegral, at, circular, inner partitioning plate 18 which is adapted toextend over the opening 11 of the container when the rim 17 is threadedin place on the neck portion 12. Concentrically located on theinner'partitioning plate 18 is an outer circular foraminous member 19which is attached thereto by means of a fastener such as a nut 21 andmetal bolt 22 extending through central holes in the partitioning plate18 and the foraminous member. The hole in the foraminous mernber 19through which the bolt 22 passes is located in the center of aninwardly-extending, centrally-located, circular, depressed portion 19.Included in the foraminous member 19 is an annular, peripheral flangeportion 24, the edge of which abuts the outer face of the partitioningplate 18 such that a chamber 25 is deiined between the partitioningplate 18 and the foraminous member 19. The lower edge portion of theange portion 24 is bellied out to form an arcuate peripheral channel 24'where it joins the foraminous member 19.

To provide communication between the inside of the container 10 and thechamber 25, a plurality of apertures 27 are formed in the innerpartitioning plate 18. The apertures 27 are substantially centrallylocated in the partitioning plate 18 so that when the pourable material14 passes therethrough, it enters at the center of the chamber 25. Thepositioning of the apertures centrally in the partitioning plate 18further is desirable in that there is less weakening of the partitioningplate than if they eX- tended to adjacent its outer periphery. However,the apertures should be spaced a sufficient distance from the openingthrough which the bolt 22 passes that the partitioning plate is notunduly weakened in that area. Since the apertures 27 are located in thecentral portion of the partitioning plate, these apertures are confinedto a more compact area than the total area of the foraminous memberhaving the perforations 36. The apertures 27 may be circular or ofoblong shape, and are each substantially the same distance from thecenter of the plate 18. The size of the apertures 27 depends primarilyupon the type of pourable material 14 being dusted or sprinkled sincethey must be suiciently large to preclude the possibility of cloggingand yet must be small enough to permit only the desired amount ofmaterial 14 to be metered therethrough into the chamber 25 below.

In view of the fact that the size of the apertures 27 is a variable,appropriate adjustment means are provided so that the dusting orsprinkling device 16 may be used with various types of pourable material14. The contemplated adjustment means includes an adjustment disc 29which is rotatably mounted about the bolt 22 on the center of the insidesurface of the partitioning plate 18. The disc 29 is held fiat againstthe partitioning plate 18 by means of the nut 21. It has formed :thereinan arrangement of holes 30 of two sizes positioned such that they can beregistered with the apertures 27 in the adjoining partitioning plate 18.However, when the larger of the holes 30 are in registry with theapertures 27 (as seen in FIG. 2), the smaller of the holes 30 are not,and vice versa. When the larger of the holes 30 are in registry with theapertures 27, the entire area of the apertures 27 is exposed; and whenthe smaller of the holes 30 are in registry, only a portion of the areaof the apertures 27 is exposed. By these means, the operating size ofthe apertures can be varied merely by rotating the disc 29 to one of twopositions. To further facilitate this manual adjustment, the disc 29includes an arm portion 32 adapted to extend radially through an arcuateslo-t 33 in the rim 17 so that it exposes an actuating handle 34 on theoutside of the sprinkling device.

As seen in FIG. 3, the foraminous member 19 has a multiplicity ofperforations 36 formed therein. These perforations are located outwardlyof the depressed portion 19 of the foraminous member which isimperforate and, when the dusting or sprinkling device is in theposition shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, underlies the area of the partitioningplate having the apertures 27 therein, the perforations 36 in theforaminous member extend outwardly to the periphery thereof and upwardlyinto the channel 24 connecting the flange 24 to the foraminous member.This outer ring of corner perforations 36 is also important. Theseperforations are of sucient size to discharge all powder which reachesthem. If it were not for these holes, the powder would start collectingand packing in the corner where the flange 24 joins the periphery of theforaminous member 19 and the sides of the chamber eventually wouldbecome completely filled with the material. As shown in FIG. 3, theradius of the curvature of the channel 24 is slightly greater than theradius of the balls 37 so -that the balls 37 can work in close and keepthe powder forced out of the perforations, .thereby keeping theperforations free from clogging. Also, a plurality of freelydisplaceable balls 37 are arranged at random within the chamber 25 whichare of sufiicient size to be prevented from escaping through either theperforations 36 or the apertures 27. However, as shown in FIG. 3, theballs 37 are of such size that when the dusting or sprinkling device isshaken up and down or oscillated back and forth, they will partiallyenter the apertures in the partitioning plate 18 and the perforations 35in the foraminous member, respectively. This will effectively keep theapertures 27 from clogging and will also keep the perforations 36 freefrom clogging and act to force the material through lthem to facilitatedeeper penetration of the balls into the perforations 36. Theperforations are punched from the inside of the foramionus member andleave the dimple-like depressions 36a around each perforation in theinside. The outer portion of the depressions is ground off flush withthe outer face of the foraminous member. The dimple-like depressionsaround the inside of each of the perforations permit the balls to godeeper into the perforations and makes it almost impossible for theperforations to clog up, without increasing the size of theperforations. The clogging of the apertures 27 and the perforations 36further is prevented, and uniform metering of the material into thechamber 25, and uniform distribution of the material through theperforations of the foraminous member is facilitated by vibrations whichare set up in the partitioning plate 18 and the foraminous member 19resulting from the balls striking against the metal bolt 22. This setsup vibrations in the bolt which are transmitted by the bolt to thepartitioning plate and the foraminous member. The balls 37 also functionto distribute the material falling through the apertures 27 into thechamber 25 since it requires but slight oscillation of the entirecontainer 10 by the operator to roll the balls 37 over the perforations36 in the foraminous member 19 to cause the balls 37 to distribute thepourable material 14 metered through the partitioning plate 18 to all ofthe perforations. Since the tendency of the material is to collect atthe periphery of the chamber 25 as the container is oscillated, theapertures 27 are centrally located and the foraminous member 19 is givena slightly outwardly convex shape. Both these features retard the normalradial outward displacement of the charge of pourable material 14 andinsure that the distribution is as uniform as possible over theperforations. The uniform distribution of the material over theperforations is also facilitated by the fact that the material fallingthrough the apertures 27 falls upon the imperforate central section ofthe foraminous member 19 and is acted upon and distributed by the balls37 before it can pass through the perforations 36.

In order to obtain optimum results, the apertures in the partitioningplate 18 and the perforations in the formaninous member 19 should be ofthe proper size for the material to be dusted or sprinkled and in theproper ratio to one another; the balls should be of the proper size; andthe total area of the perforations 36 to the total area of the spacesurrounding the perforations should be of the proper ratio. While thesefactors will vary with respect to the dusting or sprinkling of dierentmaterials, it has been found that for many powdery materials to bedusted, the apertures in the partitioning plate should be about 1A inchin diameter, or of equivalent area if other than round, and theperforations in the foraminous member should be about /e inch indiameter, that is, the ratio of the diameter of the apertures to thediameter of the perorations is about 2.5 to 1, and the ratio of the areaof the apertures to the area of the perforations is about 6.4 to 1. Thislatter ratio might be somewhat less, but should not be less than 3 to 1and preferably not less than 4 to 1. This ratio may be increased to someextent but should not be decreased materially. The purpose of providingsuch a ratio is to assure a concentrated feed of material from thecontainer iii to the chamber 25 and a scattered feed-out of the materialthrough the perorations 36. The size of the perforations 36 in theforaminous member should not vary materially from about 1/16 inch. Ifthe size of the perforations is materially increased, they will feed toomuch powder per hole when used for dusting powders to give a properdusting effect. If the size of the perforations is less to any materialextent, the balls cannot roll deep enough into them during a dustingoperation to maintain them free from clogging. About the maximum rangeof the diameter of the perforations, depending upon the material beingdusted, is from 1A?, to 3/32 inch.

The ratio of the total area of the perforations 35 to the' total area ofthe space of the foraminous member surrounding the perforations shouldbe between 1 to -9 and lto 36, depending upon the characteristics of thematerial being dusted or sprinkled and to some extent upon the volume ofmaterial fed to the chamber 25. For most powdery material a ratio ofabout 1 to 18 will give the best results. If the ratio is appreciablyless than 1 to 9, the material tends to fall straight down during adusting operation and the desired dusting etiect is not obtained.

The diameter of the balls 37 should be -about -inch and slightly greaterthan the diameter of the apertures 27 in order that a substantialportion of the balls will protrude through the apertures when thedusting or sprinkling device is agitated or shaken to dislodge materialwhich may tend to clog them. They may be somewhat larger, but should notbe so large that they will not extend down into the dimpled-likedepressions surrounding the perforations in the foraminous member.

The perforations of the ring of perforations 36 in the channel 24 shouldhave a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the perforations 36in the main portion of the foraminous member and preferably a diameterabout 25 percent greater. Thus, when the perforations 36 are /g inch indiameter, the perforations 36 should be about 5/64 inch in diameter.Under such conditions, the ratio of the diameter of the balls 37 to thediameter of the perforatons 36 is about 2.2 to 1, while the ratio of thediameter of the balls to the diameter of the perforations 36 is about2.75 to 1. Balls of smaller diameter would not work as satisfactorily asthey would lessen the Width of the aperture or else fall back into thespace 25. The ideal size of the balls is one which is just large enoughnot to fall back through the apertures and yet is small enough todislodge powder which otherwise might clog the perforations.

In use, the container is simply turned upside down so that a limitedcharge of the pourable material 14 drops through the apertures 27 intochamber 25. If the. characteristic of the material 14 is such that theapertures 27 provide for too great a ow of material, the size of theapertures may be adjusted by means of the handle 34 to permit a lesserquantity of the material to pass upon lembodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

each over-turning of the container, or the disc 29 may be turned tobring the smaller holes 30 therein into alignment with the apertures 37in the partitioning plate. In the case of extremely tine powders orliquids, the size of the apertures should be adjusted to permit alimited continuous charge to enter the chamber 25.

After the container is over-turned in this manner and the chamber 25 ischarged, the entire container is simply oscillated back and forthslightly. During such movement of the container the rolling, bouncingballs strike the inwardly depressed portion 19 and bounce against theoverlying partitioning plate 18 with some of the balls actuallyextending into the apertures 27 as shown in dotand-dash lines anddislodging material from them. This same action causes the balls to`strike against the metal bolt 22 setting up vibrations in it which aretransmitted both to the partitioning plate IS and the foraminous member19, thereby further assisting in the dislodgment of material from theapertures 27 as Well as from the perforations 36. As the balls roll andbounce around in the chamber, the material which has fallen through theapertures 27 onto the central imperforate section of the foraminousmember is distributed by them over the inner face of the foraminousmember to the ring of perforations 36 in the channel 24, thusdistributing the material uniformly over the perforations 35 and causinga uniform dusting of the material from the container. If the charge ofmaterial entering the chamber 25 is not continuous,

the chamber maybe recharged merely by turningthe container upright andthen again turning it upside down so that another quantity of materialdrops into the chamber.

Turning now to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a container40 which is identical to that shown in FIG. l has a neck portion 4I atone end defining an opening 42. External threads 43 are formed about thecircumference of the neck portion 41. Again, the container 40 is adaptedto hold a pourable material such as any of those previously described.Covering the mouth of the Ycontainer 40 is a sprinkling device indicatedgenerally by the numeral 45 which is of simpler construction than thatshown in FIGS. 1 3 and is more suited for the sprinkling of liquids andparticularly ne powders.

Included in the sprinkling device 45 is an inner partitioning plate 46having a peripheral rim portion 47 which is internally threaded so thatit can be threaded onto the neck portion 41 of the container 40. Anouter circular foraminous member 48 is concentrically attached to thepartitioning plate 46 by means of a centrally located rivet 5u. Theforaminous member 43 has an annular circumferential ilange portion 49,the edge of which abuts the outer face of the partitioning plate 46 suchthat a chamber 52 is defined between the partitioning plate 46 and theforaminous member 48.

Communication between the inside of the container 40 and the chamber 52is provided by a plurality of apertures 54 which in this embodiment areall of equal size. Again, the apertures 54 are centrally arranged in thepartitioning plate 46 to insure that the pourable material is deliveredto the imperforate center of the chamber 52 to offset the tendency ofthe material to collect at the periphery of the chamber 52. In theforaminous member 48, a multiplicity of perforations 55 are formed,eachof which is smaller in area than the individual apertures 54. Inthis embodiment also, a plurality of freely displaceable balls 56 arerandomly positioned in the chamber 52 in such a manner that they can beagitated over the perforations 55.

In this embodiment the size of the apertures 54, the size of theperforations 55, and the size of the balls 56 may be the same as thesize of the apertures 27 of the In like manner, the ratio of thediameters of the apertures 54 to the diameters of the perforations55,and the ratio of the diameter of the balls 56 to the diameters of theapertures 54 and the perforations 55 maybe the sameas the ratio of thediameter of the balls 37 to the diameters of the apertures 27 and theperforations 36 of the embodiment of FIGS. l to 3. Like the ange 24 ofthe foraminous member 19 of FIGS. 1 to 3, the flange portion 49 of theforaminous member 4S is provided with a channel 49 where it joins theperiphery of the foraminous member 48. Such channel is provided with aring of perforations 55 of a size corresponding to the perforations 36of the channel 24. When liquid is being sprinkled from the container,the perforations 55' permit the liquid to be discharged radially, underthe pressure of the head of the overlying liquid, outwardly from thesprinkling device in addition to the normal downward discharge. Thisfeature is also an advantage when dusting ne powdered insecticides orthe like onto plants since it permits the powder to be more easilydusted onto the leaves of the plant.

In some instances it may be desirable to embody the invention in adisposable plastic or paperboard tube. Such an embodiment is disclosedin FIG. 6 in which 60 represents a disposable container of a suitableplastic or paperboard having a closed end 61 provided with apertures 62.A cap member 63 is secured to the container 20 by the flanges 64thereof, which may be adhesively or otherwise secured to the end portionof the side wall of the container.

The base 65 of the cap is provided with a plurality of perforations 66.The center portion of the base of the cap has an inwardly-extending,centrally-located, imperforate, circular, depressed portion 67 similarto the depressed portion 19 of FIG. 3.

The end wall 61 of the container forms a partition and with the capmember provides a chamber 68 in which a plurality of roller members,preferably balls 69, are located.

The lower edge portion of the ange 64, where it is connected to the baseof the cap member, is bellied out to form arcuate peripheral channel 70having an annular ring of perforations 71.

The size of the apertures 62, the size of the perforations 65 and 71,and the size of the balls 69 are all as described above with respect tothe previous modifications, as is also the ratio of the size of theapertures 62 to the size o-f the perforations 65 and the ratio of thetotal area of the apertures 62 to the total area of the central portionof the end member surrounding the perforations and the ratio of thetotal area of the perforations 66 to the total area of the end of thecap surrounding the perforations.

As in FIG. 3, the apertures 62 are located in the central area of theend of the container and above the imperforate depressed portion 67, sothat pulverulent material passing through the perforation 62 into thechamber 68 will fall upon the imperforate, centrally depressed portion67 and be spread by the balls 69 over the base of the cap to passthrough the perforations therein as the container is shaken backyandforth.

Since liquids or particularly tine powders are advantageously sprinkledby means of this embodiment of the invention, no adjustment means areincluhded for varying the size of the apertures 54 because the flowcharacteristics of such materials are relatively uniform.

lIn general, however, the loperation of the sprinkling device 45 is thesame as that previously'discussed, particularly in that a charge of thepourable material in the container can be metered either intermittentlyor continuously into the chamber 52 where it is free from the pressureof the remainder of the pourable material in the container. In thechamber 52 it is Vspread evenly over the perforations 55 by simply aslight agitation of the balls 56,as described in connection with dustingand sprinkling device of FIGS. 1 to 3, and it emerges uniformly from allof the perforations 55.

There are, of course, many variations which can be made in the twoembodiments described herein without departing from the scope of thisinvention. For example,

either of the sprinkling devices 16 or 45 can be incorporated integrallyinto their associated containers. The pourable material could,therefore, be marketed in a container which includes the sprinklingdevice. Also, such structural features as the attachment of the rims andllanges to the partitioning plates and foraminous members can be variedin several diterent ways to deine the chamber therebetween.Modifications can also be made in the fastening means and apertureadjustment means shown without departing from the scope of theinvention.

This application is a continuation-impart of my application Serial No.778,877, vtiled December 8, 1958, now abandoned.

I claim:

l. A dusting or sprinkling device for attachment to a container holdingpourable material and adapted to form a section of the container wallcompirsing means for attaching the device to a container, an innerpartitioning plate, an outer forarninous member having perforationstherein, means spacing said partitioning plate from said foraminousmember and forming between them a chamber, said partitioning platehaving at least one aperture therein through which material in anattached container may ilow into said chamber, said aperture beingysolely in the central area of said partitioning plate, and saidperforations being spaced radially outwardly from the projection of thecentral area of the partitioning plate, leaving an imperforate centralportion in the foraminous member axially opposite said aperture wherebywhen the device is positioned with the foraminous member beneath saidpartitioning plate, material falling through said aperture will fallupon said imperforate central area.

2. A dusting or sprinkling device as set forth in claim l includingrolling members in said chamber.

3. A dusting or sprinkling device as set forth in claim 2 in which atleast a portion of said central area of the foraminous member extendsinwardly from the general plane of the foraminous member into saidchamber, whereby, when the device is in dusting or sprinkling positionand is shaken, the roller members will strike against saidinwardly-extending portion and be caused to bounce around.

4. A dusting or sprinkling device for attachment to a container holdingpourable material and adapted to form a section of the container wallcomprising means for attaching the device to a container, an innerpartitioning plate, an outer foraminous member having perforationstherein, means spacing said partitioning plate from said foraminousmember and forming between them a chamber, said partitioning platehaving at least one aperture therein through which material in anattached container may flow into said chamber, roller members in saidchamber, said foraminous member having at least one portion extendinginwardly into said chamber against which said roller members are adaptedto strike when the device is in dusting or sprinkling position and isshaken.

5. A dusting or sprinkling device for attachment to a container holdingpourable material and adapted to form a section of the container wallcomprising means for attaching the device to a container, an innerpartitioning plate, an outer foraminous member having perforationstherein, said foraminous member having a peripheral flange portionextending between its periphery and said partitioning plate, said liangeportion spacing said foraminous member from said partitioning plate andforming a chamber between them, said flange portion having an inwardlyconcave channel adjacent where it joins said foraminous member, saidchannel having a ring of perforations therein, said partitioning platehaving at least one aperture therein through which material in anattached container may flow into said chamber, and roller members insaid chamber.

6. A dusting or sprinkling device as set forth in claim 5 in which thearea of the individual perforations in said channel is greater than thearea of the individual perforations in said foraminous member.

7. A dusting or sprinkling device as set forth in claim 6 in which saidroller members are balls, said channel is substantially arcuate and theradius of curvature of said channel is greater than the radius of saidballs so that said balls can readily enter said channel and forcematerial from the perforations therein.

8. A dusting or sprinkling device as set forth in claim 6 in which saidroller members are balls, the perforations in the foraminous member andin said channel are circular and the ratio of the diameter of the ballsto the diameter of the perforations in said channels is about 2.2 to 1.

9. A dusting or sprinkling device for attachment to a container holdingpourable material adapted to form a section of the container wallcomprising means for attaching the device to a container, an innerpartitioning plate, an outer foraminous member having perforationstherein through which material in an attached container foraminousmember and forming a chamber between them, said partitioning platehaving at least one aperture therein through which material is anattached container may flow into said chamber, roller members in saidchamber, a member extending across said chamber and connected at itsrespective ends to said partitioning plate and said foraminous memberand in a position to be struck by said roller members when said deviceis in dusting or sprinkling position and is shaken and thereby impartvibrations to said partitioning plate and said foraminous member.

10. A dusting or sprinkling device as set forth in claim 9 in which saidpartitioning plate has a plurality of apertures therein, said aperturesare positioned solely in the central area of said partitioning plate,said perforations are spaced radially outwardly of the projection of thecentral area of the partitioning plate, leaving an irnperforate centralportion in the foraminous member axially opposite Said apertures,whereby, when the device is positioned with the foraminous memberbeneath said partitioning plate, material falling through said apertureswill fall upon said imperforate central portion, at least a portion ofsaid central area of the foraminous member extends inwardly from thegeneral plane of the foraminous member, and the member which extendsacross said chamber extends from said inwardly-extending portion.

11. A dusting or sprinkling device for attachment to a container holdingpourable material and adapted to form a section of the container wallcomprising means for attaching the device to a container, an innerpartitioning plate, an outer foraminous member having circularperforations therein, means spacing said partitioning plate from saidforaminous member and forming a chamber between them, said partitioningplate having at least one aperture therein through which material in anattached container may ow into said chamber, and balls in said chamber,the inner surface of the foraminous member having dimple-likedepressions surrounding the perforations thereof.

12. A dusting or sprinkling device as set forth in claim ll in which theratio of the diameter of the roller members to the diameter of theperforations in the foraminous member is from about 2 to 1 to 6 to 1.

13. A dusting or sprinkling device for attachment to a container holdingpourable material and adapted to form a section of the container wallcomprising means for attaching the device to a container, an innerpartitioning plate, an outer foraminous member having perforationstherein, means spacing said partitioning plate from said foraminousmember and forming a chamber between them, said partitioning platehaving at least one aperture therein through which material in anattached container may flow into said chamber, the ratio of the totalarea of the perforations in the foraminous member to the total l@ areaof the fora'minous member surrounding the perforations being from about1 to 9 to l to 36.

14. A dusting or sprinkling device comprising an inner partitioningplate forming a wall of a container for the material to be dusted orsprinkled, an outer foraminous member having perforations therein, meansspacing said partitioning plate from said foraminous member and formingbetween them a chamber, said partitioning plate having at least oneaperture therein through which material in an attached container mayflow into said chamber, said aperture being in the central area of saidpartitioning plate, and said perforations being spaced radiallyoutwardly from the projection of the central area of the partitioningplate, leaving an imperforate central portion in the foraminous memberaxially opposite said aperture, whereby, when the device is positionedwith the foraminous member beneath said partitioning plate, materialfalling through said aperture will fall upon said imperforate portion.

15. In a dusting or sprinkling device for use with a container holdingpourable material and adapted to form a section of the container wall,an inner partitioning plate, an outer foraminous member havingperforations therein, means spacing said partitioning plate from saidforaminous member and forming between them a chamber, said partitioningplate having at least one aperture therein through which material in anadjacent container may iiow into said chamber, the ratio of the area ofthe individual apertures to the area of the individual perforationsbeing at least 3 to l.

16. A dusting or sprinkling device for attachment to a container holdingpourable material and adapted to form a section of the container wall,an inner partitioning plate, an outer forarninous member havingperforations therein, means spacing said partitioning plate from saidforaminous member and forming a chamber between them, said partitioningplate having a plurality of closely spaced apertures therein throughwhich material in an attached container may ow into said chamber, theratio of the total area of said apertures to the total area of thepartitioning plate immediately surrounding said apertures being greaterthan the ratio of the total area of said perforations to the total areaof the foraminous member surrounding said perforations.

17. A dusting or sprinkling device for distributing pourable materialfrom a container comprising an inner partitioning plate, an outerforaminous member having perforations therein, and means spacing saidpartition plate from said member and forming between them a chamber,said partitioning plate having at least one aperture therein throughwhich material in an associated container may ow into said chamber, saidaperture being positioned solely in the central area of saidpartitioning plate, and said perforations being spaced radiallyoutwardly from the projection of the central portion of the partitioningplate, leaving an imperforate central portion in the foraminous memberaxially opposite said aperture, whereby, when the device is positionedwith the foraminous member beneath said partitioning plate, materialfalling through said aperture will fall upon said imperforate centralportion.

18. A dusting or sprinkling device for distributing pourable materialfrom a container comprising an inner partitioning plate, an outerforaminous member having perforations therein, means spacing saidpartitioning plate from said foraminous member and forming between thema chamber, said partitioning plate having at least one aperture thereinthrough which material in an associated container may flow into saidchamber, rolling members in said chamber, and means attached to one ofsaid partitioning, plates and the foraminous member and extending intosaid chamber and in the path of movement of said rolling members as theyroll in said chamber.

(References on following page) Tsuruta Nov.

Olvis Nov.

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Feb. France Oct.

UMTED STATES PATENT orme@ @ERHHCATE DE QDRRECHDN Patent Non 3, 145,880August 25, 1964 Louis Ba Whatley.

ears in the above numbered patlt is hereby certified that error appPatent should read as ent requiring correction and that the said Letterscorrected below Column 1, line 29, for u"in" read is line 50, for"sprinkled from the charge., The" read relation between the size of theColumn 9, line 20, for therein through which material in an attachedcontainer" read therein, means spacing said partitioning plate from saidSigned and sealed this 29th day of December 1964.,

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Ufficer Commissioner ofPatents UMTED STATES PATENT orme@ @ERHHCATE DE QDRRECHDN Patent Non 3,145,880 August 25, 1964 Louis Ba Whatley.

ears in the above numbered patlt is hereby certified that error appPatent should read as ent requiring correction and that the said Letterscorrected below Column 1, line 29, for u"in" read is line 50, for"sprinkled from the charge., The" read relation between the size of theColumn 9, line 20, for therein through which material in an attachedcontainer" read therein, means spacing said partitioning plate from saidSigned and sealed this 29th day of December 1964.,

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Ufficer Commissioner ofPatents UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatentNo., 3,145,880 August 25, 1964 Louis B., Whatley. It is hereby certifiedthat error appeae 'in the abo-ve numbered patent requiring correctionand that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Columnl, line 29, for "in" read is line 50, for "sprinkled from the charge.The" read relation between the size of the column 9, line 20, for"therein through which material in an attached container read therein,means spacing said partitioning plate from said Signed and sealed this29th day of December 1964u SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W., SWIDERl EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

15. IN A DUSTING OR SPRINKLING DEVICE FOR USE WITH A CONTAINER HOLDINGPOURABLE MATERIAL AND ADAPTED TO FORM A SECTION OF THE CONTAINER WALL,AN INNER PARTITIONING PLATE, AN OUTER FORAMINOUS MEMBER HAVINGPERFORATIONS THEREIN, MEANS SPACING SAID PARTITIONING PLATE FROM SAIDFORAMINOUS MEMBER AND FORMING BETWEEN THEM A CHAMBER, SAID PARTITIONINGPLATE HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE THEREIN THROUGH WHICH MATERIAL IN ANADJACENT CONTAINER MAY FLOW INTO SAID CHAMBER, THE RATIO OF THE AREA OFTHE INDIVIDUAL APERTURES TO THE AREA OF THE INDIVIDUAL PERFORATIONSBEING AT LEAST 3 TO 1.